What are these viewers for?
In release 3.20.0, we have included examples of drawing, BIM, and MCAD viewers in the Web Toolkit to show how data can be visualized using each tool. These viewers have specific functions for displaying different types of data, allowing users to use them separately based on their requirements. We will continue to enhance each viewer and introduce new features, such as a virtual tour in the BIM-viewer.
The viewers are designed to demonstrate how to work with the CAD Exchanger API in SDK and Web Toolkit. These viewers offer various capabilities such as visualization, rendering of different data types, and retrieving information about model properties.
Furthermore, all of these viewers are open, allowing users to customize each one according to their specific needs and requirements. Additionally, the viewers include pre-made examples to demonstrate their functionality, making it easier for users to jumpstart evaluation of CAD Exchanger products.
We highly recommend taking the time to study the User's Guide about Web Toolkit. This will provide you with a better understanding of the following:
- Supported 3D formats and their contents;
- Data model organization (including product structure);
- B-Rep and polygonal geometries;
- Metadata (colors, materials, names, etc.);
- Specific concepts such as PMI;
- Key elements of the visualization architecture;
- Visualization scene graph;
- Scene nodes attributes (appearance, transformation, geometry, etc.).
Drawing Viewer
The drawing viewer is a mini-application showcasing the handling of 2D data in DWG format. It features a structure, a property tree, properties, appearances, and layers. The layers can be hidden if it’s necessary to facilitate working with drawings. The viewer supports geometry, dimensions, hatches, and texts.
Furthermore, we have incorporated a dark theme into this viewer, which greatly enhances visual comfort while working with drawings. Moreover, when switching between the dark theme and the original theme, the outline color in properties remains unaltered.
The drawing viewer also includes visualization with color outlines to provide a more comprehensive representation of 3D model drawings.
BIM Viewer
The BIM viewer is a fully-featured 3D viewer for architectural and structural models, which allows to display the data in various BIM formats, such as IFC and Revit. The BIM viewer example is a comprehensive example for BIM models where there are a property tree and properties that include measurements, characteristics of the element, or other specific details related to a particular domain. It provides a smooth and intuitive navigation experience, allowing users to zoom, pan, and rotate the model to view it from different angles. In addition, the viewer is capable of displaying various entities such as beam, column, door, furniture, plate, railing, site, slab, stair, wall, and window.
With the BIM viewer, users can inspect the model in detail. You can select individual components or groups of components to view both their general properties and information about the material and property table. The viewer also contains complex semantics, which means the division into floors that can be viewed individually. These capabilities are essential for developers looking to build comprehensive BIM applicaitons.
You have the option to view the data in wireframe, shading, or shading with borders. You can also choose between isometric and perspective views, as well as two themes like dark and light. Additionally, there is an exploded view feature that allows you to examine the design intent and the connections between parts.
MCAD Viewer
The MCAD viewer is a tool that allows users to visualize and analyze mechanical CAD models. Now, let's explore the various functionalities of the MCAD viewer and how it can enhance the CAD viewing experience.
The viewer provides a highly customizable 3D view, allowing users to manipulate and examine CAD models from different angles and perspectives. Users can zoom in and out, rotate, pan, and tilt the model to get a comprehensive view of the design, which is particularly useful for evaluating complex assemblies and understanding the spatial relationships between different components.
The MCAD viewer also allows users to access and display various properties associated with CAD models. You can view properties such as dimensions, materials, mass, volume, and more to analyze the characteristics of individual components, identify material specifications, and verify design requirements.
Moreover, using this viewer, you can easily explore the structure of CAD models. It enables users to expand and collapse assemblies, view individual parts, and navigate through the product structure. This feature is invaluable for understanding the assembly hierarchy, identifying subassemblies, and locating specific components within the model.
Cross-sectioning in the MCAD viewer allows users to slice through the model and visualize its internal structure, which is helpful for inspecting hidden features, identifying potential interferences, and verifying the integrity of the design. Users can adjust the position and orientation of the cross-section plane to examine specific areas of interest.
The MCAD viewer supports a wide range of file formats, including popular formats such as STEP, IGES, JT, and more. This compatibility ensures that users can view and analyze CAD models from different software platforms without any compatibility issues. It also allows for seamless integration with other CAD software and data exchange between different stakeholders.
Experience it by yourself
Our new complex drawing, BIM, and MCAD viewers in the Web Toolkit offer a range of features and capabilities for visualizing and working with different types of data. These viewers are designed to showcase the functionality of the CAD Exchanger SDK and can be customized to meet specific needs. With access to pre-made examples, users can easily explore and utilize these viewers for their own projects. In addition, we are planning on enhancing the viewers and adding new features such as demonstrating PMI (Product and Manufacturing Information) and measurements.